Secret Weakness
by IHeartNealCaffrey
Summary: Neal has a new handler that will use him, to get back at Peter. Short summary.


**Secret Weakness**

**Disclaimer:** I solemnly swear that I do not own anyone of these fine characters.

**A/N:** I honestly have no idea how this came to be but I was currently watching White Collar again and this crazy idea spiralled out of control. I just had to write it. I do hope that you will bear with me. I will return to my other stories, have no fear. Set in season three.

**Summery:** Neal has a new handler that will use him, to get to Peter. Short summary.

**Chapter One**

There are many things that Peter Burke had never imagined would occur in the way they had done. He had seen things that will make most men, or woman, shatter. Putting a way some of the most intriguing criminals behind bars is one of those things and there are times when he wonders why people could do such things in the first place, when the consequences of their actions will only lead them towards prison, or even worse death. What draws people into committing crimes in the first place, is a question that continues to burn inside his mind

The criminals that he had helped put away, to keep the streets safe, is both terrifying and satisfying. They are all intriguing in their own way but not one of those criminals could ever compete against the mysterious young con artist, which had led Peter and his team on a three-year game of cat and mouse.

The con artist in question is perhaps one of the most interesting criminal that Peter had ever come across and he does not regret taking on the file, labelled James Bonds, as it had brought out a queer feeling of protectiveness.

He does not know why a single case could bring out a feeling like that.

Peter had also come to realise just how smart James Bonds was and the way the young felon had allegedly managed to pull of some of crazy stunts.

When James Bonds' true name came to be unearthed, a whole brand new mystery was thrown inside the ever-growing file. An entire chapter surrounding Neal Caffrey's childhood was non-existent and that had only intrigued Peter even more, as he continues to dig inside the Pandora's Box, to see what was else he could discover.

To learn more about the elusive escape artist had only caused Peter to come to starling revelation, a revelation that Peter wanted to shake off as pure nonsense. As there was no way that he could ever like a criminal.

And he did eventually grow to like this smart young man.

Peter did feel a sense of satisfaction when they had finally caught Neal Caffrey, after a long three-year old chase, as he could finally put the case to rest and to place his attention on another case – or even better, his dearly beloved wife, Elizabeth.

"A penny for your thoughts?"

He glanced away from the wall that he was currently creating a hole, only to find Elizabeth looking at him. Her eyes were one of the first things that he had noticed when he first met her and he was intrigued by the level intelligence tucked away inside of them. It wasn't just her breath taking beauty that had caught his attention and yet, his breath still manages to get ensnared – trapped inside his throat, when she is near him

Even after being together for twelve years, Peter still struggles to come to terms with the knowledge that he is married to the most beautiful, intelligent, sassy, and understanding woman.

She is the most important person to him, more important then his career, and when Keller had taken Elizabeth – he was so angry and scared, that he had come so close in to punching Neal. So close that he had shoved his friend hard against the wall. And Neal had just stood there, allowing Peter to use him as the vessel to release his anger upon.

There are so many things that Peter would like to redo, to see if there was a way to stop the mess that both Mozzie and Neal had created, and to find a way to make sure that Keller stayed away from Elizabeth. There are so many 'if only' scenarios jumping around in his thoughts now, that it is not funny.

"Let me guess? You are having one of your 'what if's' moments going on inside your mind," Elizabeth chirped in, a knowing smile lightning up her beautiful face.

"You know me well," Peter wryly says, with a smile to match his tone.

Elizabeth only smiled as she came to join him on their couch, "Do you wish to tell me about it?"

"Wondering if I made the right decision by not telling the board the truth," Peter absentmindedly began to say. Choosing his words carefully. "The whole fiasco with Keller and the treasure is an event that should never have happened -"

"You made the right decision," Elizabeth says to him. "What had happened? Happened. I highly doubt that there could have been anything more that you could have done to prevent it from happening. Besides the right man is behind bars, remember that."

Peter could only just offer El a loving smile, no word were coming to him that would be of service to him to describe his thoughts out loud. He always did find it difficult explaining his thoughts and feelings to anyone, and it does not matter who they maybe – whether he is talking to Elizabeth, his parents, or even to Neal, words are just not his forte. He is not like Neal, who has a way with words to get what he wants.

"I will remember," Peter finally said.

"But the treasure is not the only thing on your mind, is it?" Elizabeth curled herself into Peter's side. "There is something else."

"I am still trying to figure out about what it is about Neal, that makes him different from all the other criminals that I had put away. Even when I was trying to catch him, I had noticed just how smart and loyal he is," Peter began to say to Elizabeth. "It's difficult to explain."

"I don't think that anyone could ever truly understand Neal, but I do believe that in a way – you do understand him better then anyone else," Elizabeth tries to say the things that she has observed so far. "And, in his own way. Neal understands you."

"Why is it that no matter what we talk about, Neal always finds a way to become our subject," Peter quipped in a dry tone.

"Then what shall we talk about?" Elizabeth wryly asked and her eyes were bright with uncontrolled mischievousness.

"I have no idea," Peter playfully shrugged his shoulders. "Oh! I know – you could tell me about your day."

"My day was interesting but I do believe that it pales in comparison with your day," Elizabeth leaned a way from Peter, so she could look him in the eye at a better angle. "I know that you and Neal are still trying to find some even ground again."

"And Neal once again pops into our conversations," Peter says in mild annoyance.

"Well he does know how to keep conversations interesting," she said with a bright bubbly smile. "Have you told him yet?"

Her bright smile vanished as soon as she had asked that. Remembering about the topic that Peter had brought to the table last night, telling her how angry he was about someone in the higher officers has this crazy idea in their minds.

"No, the last few days have been difficult for the both of us and I am only just finally learning to move on from the Keller fiasco, as I am certain, is what Neal is doing. I have meant to tell him but I just couldn't find the time to tell him," Peter exhales at the thought of what the higher officers are planning to do. "They are only doing this because an agent, with a stellar reputation, had put in a request to borrow Neal for an entire week. Hughes had tried to do his best to put a stop to this but Agent Thorne will have none of it."

"I take it that this Agent Thorne is the one that wants to borrow Neal – to do what exactly?" Elizabeth has grown to care about the dashing young ex-conman. "Is it to do with a case?"

"That could be one of the main reasons. Neal does hold a great deal of knowledge about the underworld and how it works," Peter rubbed a hand against his brow.

"What do you know about this Agent Thorne?"

"I know enough not to trust him," Peter replied in a dry tone. "Neal will have to control his impulse and be on his best behaviour, that's for sure."

"I'd actually be more concern about Agent Thorne, then Neal," Elizabeth quipped in with a knowing smile.

"And why would you be more concern about Thorne?" Peter asked with a weary smile.

"Because if anything were to happen to Neal under Thorne's care -"

"Then Thorne will be feeling very sorry for himself," Peter said without thinking – but it was true.

He would make sure that Thorne would be living in hell if anything were ever to happen to Neal.

"But, enough about that. I believe that is time for us to go to bed," Peter said in a way to change their subject.

Elizabeth just nods her head silently.

**-WC-**

_To be continued…._


End file.
